OT: It's Oscar Weekend!

[lazypadawan]

For what's its worth, here are my startling (not) predictions for what ought to be a mostly predictable show:

Best Film--It'll either be "Little Miss Sunshine" or "The Queen." "The Departed" has no chance. I watched it last weekend and to be honest, if they think that's the best movie of 2006, the Academy members didn't get out much in the last year. The self-important "Babel" is a little too reminisicent of last year's winner "Crash" and hasn't won any other Best Pictures besides the Golden Globules. I haven't seen "Letters From Iwo Jima" but Clint Eastwood has won two Best Pictures already.

Personally, I'd give a little bit of an edge still to "Little Miss Sunshine." I think this movie will appeal more to the younger Academy members and it has all of the street cred of an indie flick with big studio connections (Fox Searchlight). It won the Golden Globe for Best Picture (Comedy or Musical) and more tellingly, the SAG's top prize. "The Queen" won BAFTA's equivalent of Best Picture but that could be because it was a homegrown product. Nevertheless I think it will probably appeal more to the Academy's older members and those who prefer serious movies for Best Picture. It's the only film that could realistically upset "Little Miss Sunshine."

Best Director--Marty Scorsese is finally going to beat his Susan Lucci streak. "The Departed" isn't even close to being his best film but it may be the among the last films he'll make that are decent enough to justify giving him an Oscar. And Eastwood has won a few times already.

Best Actor--Forest Whittaker for "The Last King of Scotland." Nobody else has won the top actor prize this award season, so there's zero reason for Peter O'Toole or anyone else to pull an upset.

Best Actress--Helen Mirren, "The Queen." See above.

Best Supporting Actor--Eddie Murphy, "Dreamgirls." Alan Arkin was great in "Little Miss Sunshine," but the momentum is with Murphy. Plus "Dreamgirls" got shafted in the Best Picture category.

Best Supporting Actress--Jennifer Hudson, "Dreamgirls." Nobody else has won best supporting actress in any other award show.

Best Visual Effects--POTC2. ILM will end its losing streak, due to the fact there are no more SW films.

Now, they've tried to get the Academy to start a new category for stunt performers but the snobs turned it down. I have more ideas for Oscar categories I think the Academy ought to consider. Categories that I think reflect what really goes on in the movies and in Hollywood:

*Most Creative Use of the F-Word

*Outstanding Artistic Achievement With Fake Blood

*Best Gratuitous Nude Scene

*Most Likely Never To Appear In A Good Movie Again

*Most Likely To Be Forgotten In Ten Years

*Best Plastic Surgery Job

*Best Mug Shot

*Best Embarrassing Video On A Celebrity Gossip Website

*Best Celebrity Feud

and last but not least...

*Best stint in rehab

Comments

[laariii.livejournal.com]

what about " Best self important rant"

[lazypadawan.livejournal.com]

Great idea ;).

[ayajedi.livejournal.com]

I love those new 'categories'

[leia-naberrie.livejournal.com]

And the Oscar goes to... [for these special categories :p]?

[lazypadawan.livejournal.com]

Well, I think the Michael Richards comedy club rant is a shoo-in for Best Embarrassing Video ;).

[sreya.livejournal.com]

How about "Most obvious political agenda"?

[lazypadawan.livejournal.com]

I believe this category already exists, just under the clever name of "Best Documentary."

[pronker]

I'm interested in your choices and will observe the results with interest since I've not seen any of these, except POTC2, which was fair to middling. "Last King" sounded wonderful, hope it gets a nod. Your tacked-on categories are the truest things, absolutely hilarious. ILM needs a rest; I was a bit disappointed in some of ROTS' animation.

[darth-pipes.livejournal.com]

Best Stint in rehab and Best Mugshot would be two good ones. Best Slur that they had to take back might be another one.

The Departed is the only Best Picture I've seen and it was really good. I've heard mixed things about Little Miss Sunshine, with some people telling me they don't know why it was nominated. Same with The Queen. They all liked Mirren but felt the movie relies too much on real footage of Diana.

[lazypadawan.livejournal.com]

LOL @ Best Slur, that's a good one!

If you ask me, none of the best film nominees are Great Films For The Ages. Something has to fill the slots and it's likely you'll never see another 1939, when there were so many good movies that year, the 1940 Academy Awards expanded the best film entries from five to nine.